Drivers of canine distemper virus exposure in dogs at a wildlife interface in Janos, Mexico.

Our serological assays show that CDV is circulating in both domestic dogs and wild carnivores, suggesting cross-species transmission. Our finding of low vaccination rates, high number of unrestrained owned dogs and direct interactions between wildlife and domestic animals reported in the region may be perpetuating the high prevalence of the virus and increasing the risk of CDV transmission between wild and domestic carnivores. Therefore, long-term longitudinal studies are recommended in order to monitor infectious diseases at the domestic-wildlife interface in this highly biodiverse region.